


I'll be lost for a while in this conversation

by Chousha



Category: RWBY
Genre: Also featuring: Blake being feisty, Anti-Faunus Racism (RWBY), Atlas Is mostly Terrible, Blake Belladonna Needs a Hug, Canon Compliant, F/F, Graphic depictions of Yang being SOFT, Qrow breaking stuff, Soft Bees, Weiss Schnee being done, but also not really, graphic depictions of handholding, writing team JNR hurts and yet I did it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-28
Updated: 2019-02-28
Packaged: 2019-11-06 22:44:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17948549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chousha/pseuds/Chousha
Summary: In which Blake Belladonna experience the different facets of racial segregation in Atlas in new and interesting ways.





	I'll be lost for a while in this conversation

The silence of the ship felt slightly eerie after the roar of the Leviathan ringing in her ears.

All of them were exhausted. Ruby just used her powers on a massive, 200 feet monster after, from what the others told her, throwing herself into a giant cannon and somehow surviving. (Yang really hadn’t appreciated that one) Blake herself just came back from what was undoubtedly the most emotionally taxing fight of her life. Team JNR weren’t really faring any better. They were all battered and worn-out, but at least their spirits were high. Against all odds, they were all alive and flying towards their destination. Coming down from the rush of the battle was familiar ground, and conversation between them flowed easily. It was so obvious they all cared about each others, and Blake felt safe around them in a way that she couldn’t possibly begin to express.

And yet, a part of her wished she could temporarily dislocate her spirit from her body. The emotional pain of the day electrocuted her brain. She felt like she was holding the strings of her existence together on sheer willpower. Her fatigue was settling deep inside her bones, and she knew a mere night of sleep wasn’t going to help her with this one. She was intimately familiar with this brand of fatigue, the kind that became such an ingrained part of life it isn’t lived, but survived. Blake felt every one of her muscles giving into gravity, and she started dreading their imminent arrival in the city. she was going to have to feel the process of recovery all over again, but this time she couldn’t afford it. They didn’t have the luxury of time.

She didn’t want to be a burden to her friends.

She felt the metallic arm around on her tighten, and it was enough to avert her attention from her own thoughts. It was incredible how much a single touch from her partner could bring her in term of comfort. Then again, Yang always radiated a warmth that had the ability to pierce through the darkness lurking around her. Blake blinked and turned her head to look at blonde, and found her listening intently to what Jaune was saying.

She focused on the feeling of the arm holding her, finally noticing the prosthetic thumb gently stroking her forearm. It was a very delicate touch, almost imperceptible. It made her want to blush, for some reason.

Now that she needed a distraction from _that_ , she started paying attention to the soft cadence of the conversation around her. They were debating on how to face the issue of actually getting _into_ Atlas, and Blake had hoped Jaune would come up with a plan for that too, since his previous one had exceeded all of her expectations. He confessed in a dejected tone that he hadn't really thought about it this far. They simply didn’t have enough information on the current statue of the rumored military lockdown to come up with a solid strategy. Still, all of them started throwing suggestions in the open air, hoping something would stick.

Since Blake was the only one of the group with actual in-field experience in terrorist activities and whatnot (as far as she knew. Maria has shown way too much delight at the idea of stealing a military airplane and battling Atlasian officials. Blake was suspicious), she was the best in position to gently shoot down their ideas on how to sneak into the city without getting caught. Their schemes varied widely from outrageously lying about the unlawful seizure of Atlas military equipment and pretending they were tourists (Weiss), to saying the truth and hoping the army would listen and help them (Ruby, because they always had to at least consider it for a second before taking the illegal route), to learning how to channel the Mighty Power of the Storms so they could summon a lightning bolt powerful enough to create a diversion and slip in surreptitiously while no one was looking. (Nora)

While everyone politely pondered on the merits of the storm idea (there was none) Blake finally declared, subdued and not before sending an contrite look to Weiss, that currently their best bet really was to state that their airship had been officially deployed as an escort to the former heiress of the Schnee Dust Company back to her home estate.

They could substantiate the abruptness of their arrival by attesting that the reason why Argus hasn’t given a warning for their approach as per standard operating procedure was because the port-city went under a level 4 Grimm attack, which obstructed them from properly delivering the flight information of their ship to any of the air control centers. They could then justify the presence of so many huntsmen and unknowns as security detail hired by the former Heiress herself. Since Maria Calavera had a legendary reputation as a Huntress back in her days and several of them were known to have defended the Kingdom of Vale at the battle of Beacon, they might even get away with it.

They were all appropriately impressed by her knowledge on the modus operandi of sky traffic control systems as well as on how to successfully get away with aircraft piracy. At least, her years being groomed into guerrilla warfare under the White Fang hadn’t been a total waste, Blake mused. Nora even whistled in appreciation, which she took as a compliment.

However, there was a hesitancy in Ruby and Jaune’s eyes that Blake suspected reflected her own. Truth be told, this plan relied a little too heavily on the assumption that Caroline Cordovin hadn’t exposed their crimes to her home base in Atlas as soon as the possibility presented itself. She might have let them slip away after the battle, but they could be walking into a far more dangerous trap that the threat of the half destroyed air force back in Argus. They weren’t even sure they would be offered the chance of giving an explanation in the first place. After all, their plane had previously been flagged as hostile, and they had no way of knowing if Cordovin had lifted the warning.

The most glaring shortcoming about the plan, in Blake’s opinion, was how it put Weiss in a high risk position. There was no guarantee her father’s men wouldn’t be waiting for them at the front door, ready to steal her away again. She heard a lot of things about the Schnee patriarch, some of them from Weiss and some from other Faunuses, and none of it was reassuring in any way.

If it really came to that, their mission could throw itself out of the highest tower of Atlas for all Blake cared. They weren’t going to let anything happen to Weiss.

She sighed. What they really needed to do was contact general Ironwood as soon as possible, so they could be placed under his protection.

There was also the issue of bringing the threat of Salem to his attention (assuming he didn’t already know) as well as relay the urgency of their current operation to him. Hopefully they could gain his support and protection, which would make things less challenging. For one, Blake hoped it would make their mission easier to complete, so they could get out of there _the second_ they were able to. Because on the top of everything else, she felt- _something._ About going to Atlas.

Blake didn’t want to make her feelings the center of attention. They had taken upon themselves to protect this world, and she has been the one who left, after all. She still had only fragments of understanding about the battles they fought without her by their side. Most of her attention had been absorbed on processing what was discovered along the way (the relics, the maidens, Ozpin being alive, _Yang’s mother_ ) so there had been no time to address the growing anxiety in the back of her mind.

She had being focused on her team, on Yang, on making them trust her again.

But Adam’s family was from Mantle.

Atlas was, without the shadow of a doubt, the most racist of all the four Kingdoms.

Blake felt the arm around her gently slip away, the lost contact a wave that brought her crashing back to reality. Yang was pointing out that there was no point in arguing on hypothetical. They would adjust their assumptions _if_ they get to Atlas and then play it by ear. Nora loudly agreed. Blake looked at the hands on her laps and took a deep breathe, trying to empty her mind.  

There was a soft pressure on her shoulder, and she raised her head to meet pale blue. Weiss came sitting next to her as some point, and was now looking at her with something expectant on her face. Blake looked around. Everyone had stopped talking except Ruby, who was sharing hushed words with their self-appointed personal pilot. They were all waiting for her to say something, and she hadn’t even noticed.

She turned an apologetic look to Weiss.

‘’I asked you how you were holding up.’’ Her eyes were gentle. Weiss looked like she would help carry all of Blake’s burdens if only she could find a way to do so. All of them changed a lot those last two years, but she still has to get used to it, a Weiss Schnee with softened edges.

Blake's voice was only a little bit hoarse when she gave her answer, ‘’Ehm. Not really well, to be honest.’’ Her hands wanted to shake very badly, but she willed them not to. She took another deep breath. ‘’I mean. That fight. I knew it was coming, I’ve known it for a long time. I thought I was ready but… I wasn’t. Not really.’’ She swallowed hard. ‘’Despite everything- what he did to me, what he did us- I didn’t want to do it. I didn’t want to fight. I just wanted it to be _over_. If Yang hadn’t been there...’’ She left that thought unfinished. She didn’t really want to open that particular box right now.

Weiss hummed. The quiet that settled between them felt pensive instead of sad. ‘’I’m sorry you went through that nightmare.’’ Blake threw a furtive glance at her, and saw a smile so genuinely sweet that unexpected warmth rushed through her veins. ‘’But, I’m glad Yang was there for you in time.’’

Blake thought about the words she said only a few hours ago. _We’re protecting each other._ She felt the wonder inside of her swell, like a brittle-boned bird trying to fly away from the cage of her body. She couldn’t help the small, awed smile taking over her lips. _She’s not protecting me, and I’m not protecting her._ We’re protecting each other.

She looked down on her laps, bashful.

Yang’s prosthetic hand came on top of hers and squeezed once, twice. There was nothing but warmth and comfort radiating out of her, and Blake realized she was getting used to this, the feeling of Yang’s hand in hers. She could see it becoming an essential part of her routine in the near future. Something she would need to feel truly at ease, to consider her day complete. ‘’We were there for each other.’’ Yang said, and Blake looked into the lavender eyes, offering a gentle smile. She felt her skin becoming thinner, and surely her heart must be shining through.

She turned her palm around and twined their fingers together, wrapping them both in a soft layer of cotton.

_____________

This time, it was Qrow who answered, after a firm nod from Ruby.

They couldn't exactly pretend they didn't hear the air controller’s welcoming message. All the ships hovering around the city seemed to use the airborne aircraft carriers as their flight decks as well as their local bases of operation. As far as any of them could see, there was no vehicle of any sort currently going _into_ the city; which means they couldn’t exactly waltz in unheralded and pray for the best. With that level of military surveillance, their little game of aircraft hijacking would be categorized as hostile activity at best, a suicide attack at worst. They would be shot on sight.

The pressure of so many military vessels potentially turning their guns towards their ship made them rigid with tension. The air in the cockpit became so brittle it could snap. Blake felt the dread inside of her building up.

‘’Manta 5-1 speaking. My name is Qrow Branwen, professional Huntsman. We are currently accompanying and protecting Weiss Schnee, the former heiress of the SDC. We request entrance into the city.’’ His tone was almost lazy, all things considered.

‘’Please transmit your identification code as well as your Official Huntsman Permit and ID via your handheld device.’’ The voice was filled with such artificial benevolence it felt like a mockery of the real thing.

‘’A-15-BLK-2110’’ He said out loud. His scroll came to life once he set it on the MC panel reserved for that effect. Blake saw Ruby surreptitiously writing the number down on her own scroll and suppressed a smile. There was a lot one could do with a huntsman identification code. Qrow must be really tired.

They waited in somewhat strained anticipation. A minute went by, excruciatingly slow, then the female voice came in again. ‘’Manta 5-1, could you please give confirmation of the presence of Yang Xiao Long, Jaune d’Arc, Ruby Rose, Lie Ren, Blake Belladonna and Nora Valkyrie?’’

They shared bewildered looks.

‘’Yes, they’re all on board. Why?’’ His scowl was wary, distrustful.

‘’General Ironwood has been expecting you. Please follow the flight procedure that will be relayed to you forthwith.’’

Maria Calavera cackled. ‘’Looks like our luck hasn’t run out yet.’’  

_____________

Of course, it wasn’t going to be _that_ easy. That would be too much to ask for.

Before even entering the city, they were told they had to get into one of the many helicarriers currently roaming the skies so their stolen ship could be methodically searched for any kind of war armament or sign of illegal activity.

They waited for a whole hour just to _gain access_ to the damned carrier.

Blake didn’t know why they even bothered. Since all of them were Grimm fighters, the only thing they needed to do to cause a carnage was to get Qrow drunk, charge Nora with electricity and throw them with Yang and Ruby towards the city with the instruction to wreck as much havoc as possible.

Speaking of which, the Atlasian official who questioned them tried to confiscate their weapons for ‘’security purposes’’. The key word here was tried, because suffice to say that did not go over well with any of them. As a matter of fact, Qrow threw a temper tantrum of such massive proportions it escalated into two knocked out soldiers and what was probably a fortune in destroyed atlasian tech. They tried to stop him, they really did. Well, Ruby tried. But it was a half-assed attempt at best. There was no way they were going to be walking around a city threatened by unknown enemies and bursting with armed specialists without the reassuring weight of their weapons, _especially_ after the kind of day they all had.

So yes, Blake had actually enjoyed the spectacle of Qrow demolishing stuff left and right with a vicious sort of satisfaction. A part of her wanted to help him, really. For old time's sake.

Which brought to mind the uncomfortable awareness of her own weaponless self. She would have to work around that. Being surrounded by so much unfamiliarity without Gambol Shroud on her back was making her feel nervous. Still, there was no need for panic. Atlas probably buzzed with weapons and armory establishments. If it really came to it, she could always steal a gun and a sword from one of the low grade soldiers. She wasn’t going to pretend she’d never done it.

Apparently, Qrow actually knew what he was doing, because he didn’t land them into trouble. Well, they ended up with a massive fine that he _actually_ agreed to pay. But they got to keep their weapons, which they took as a win. Blake was convinced the only thing that saved them from Capital Punishment was the official orders from the Atlasian General himself to get them into the city.

There was a weight of familiarity in the way Qrow said Ironwood’s name that irked every soldier in their vicinity. He called him _James,_ and was corrected so many time it became obvious he was doing it for entertainment purposes. The fact that he seemed to own a solid reputation as the living plague of Atlas military property didn’t help much. After a while, every soldier they crossed path with just glared at them, like they somehow settled the expression as their default setting. It was a miracle they weren’t thrown in jail. Blake was having a great time.

At some point, the officials of the helicarrier obviously just wanted to get rid of them, so they ended up in an airbus for a ten minute flight towards the city’s Main Port with sterns orders to ready their scrolls for the identification proceedings.

 _That’s_ when Blake began to panic.

The others were mostly excited to be _finally_ heading into Atlas. Even Weiss looked relieved after the endless series of pointless maneuvers they had to endure to prove they weren’t there to murder anybody, or whatever. Nora was practically vibrating.

But Yang could immediately tell something was wrong.

‘’Blake? Are you okay?’’ She settled a hand on Blake’s back, right between her shoulder blades. Breathing became a little easier.

‘’My scroll. It got destroyed, when I was fighting.’’ She couldn’t believe how _reckless_ she had been. She really was going to be That Faunus; the one who went to Atlas directly through the Main Port without any identification papers. That was like begging to be sent to the mines.

Yang’s eyes were piercing. She looked at her like all the things Blake wasn’t saying were written plainly on her face, then threw her gaze at their surroundings. Nine officers were escorting them, which was simply excessive no matter how you looked at it. There was one in particular who locked his eyes on Blake immediately after she set foot on their vehicle, like he was expecting her to do _something_ the second he turned his gaze away. He was noticeably the older of the bunch, and there was a familiar sort of contempt in his expression. Yang glared at him with a hint of ember in her eyes for the whole duration of their trip, her hands clenching and her jaw rooted. There was a stillness in her movement that Blake recognized as Yang readying herself for a fight.

Thankfully, they landed before anyone was driven to violence.

____________________________

 _Okay_ , Blake had to admit. _This is actually pretty impressive._

The view of the city from the sky had been beautiful, but it was nothing compared to the inside architecture of the Main Port. Everything basked in warm colors, which was the opposite of the icy and oppressive white she had been expecting. In the center stood a gently sloped artificial waterfall, made of dust of all things, larger than a mansion and no louder than a whisper, with small, pale humanoid figures peppered above its surface and _moving_ like the world’s most ghostly synchronized swimming team. In the background an elegant music was playing. Everything else was characterized by towering ceilings in gold and cream, graceful columns and enough reflective surfaces to make the room seem double.

Blake couldn’t stop herself from looking around in awe, distracted from her own apprehension. Now that she really looked, it dawned on her that _all of it_ was dust-powered. The lights, the machines, they were all shimmering with a distinctive glow that suggested the use of the supposedly rare crystal. She felt the arm around her shoulder shift as Yang twisted her neck to look at one giant hologram of a multicolored three dimensional map of Remnant. They’ve both never seen such a diverse use of dust outside of combat. It was incredibly wasteful, but it sure was pretty to look at.

The group had stopped near the entrance to gape the artificial waterfall with wide eyes.

Nora whispered ‘’Holy shit, Ren. Are you seeing what I’m seeing? Am I hallucinating?’’ She grabbed his shoulders and shook him rather violently.

‘’You’re not hallucinating. I’m definitely looking at it. Please stop shaking me.’’ He couldn’t keep his eyes off the dancing figures, and his voice was amazed.

The glaring exceptions were Weiss, Maria, Qrow and the soldiers following them, who urged them forwards with a hint of impatience.  

“Well, we could have gone with _my plan_ , after all. Since you all insist on playing tourist anyways.’’ Weiss said with exasperation. She looked so done with it, it was almost endearing.

‘’Aww, com’ on Weiss! Everything is so pretty! I’ve never seen so much dust _in my life_.’’ Ruby’s voice was a little less bright than usual, a little worn-out, but no less contagious.

Maria tried to get one of more bulky military escorting them to carry her on their back because she was ‘’too old to walk around like those younglings’’. Then she pointed at them dramatically, like she hadn’t successfully piloted a military aircraft around a Leviathan a few hours ago. _Blake had seen her do it._ The soldier ignored her.

‘’Not that this isn’t nice or anything but- where’s General Ironwood? I thought he was waiting for us. Are you taking us to him?’’ Yang asked the soldier walking beside them.

‘’Can’t you take us somewhere to sleep first? I don’t know if you’ve heard, but we just fought a giant monster and we’re all like, exhausted.’’ Jaune slumped his shoulders to complement his words and general awkwardness. Blake could see on her peripheral vision Oscar struggling to keep his eyes open. _He’s so small_ , Blake wondered with a hint of worry if they passed his bedtime, or something. _He said he was 14, right?_ Before she could finish the thought, they halted in front of a small man.

This one actually fitted nicely with what she had pictured of Atlas. All pristine white, hair perfectly slicked to the side and smile glittering with fake goodwill. He wasn’t much taller than Cordovin had been. _Are everyone in Atlas pocket-sized?_ Blake was bemused.

‘’Welcome to Atlas. I trust you all had a safe travel.’’ His tone dripped with so much pompousness it was a wonder he didn’t slide on it on his way here and broke his neck. His eyes trailed on all of them, halting on Blake’s ears for a second before finally stopping on Weiss. Then his expression became full of fake delight. ‘’Miss Schnee! We are _relieved_ to have you back. Your concerts were greatly missed in Atlas.’’

She felt Yang’s arm around her shoulder tighten again. Weiss gave him a smile more akin to an uncomfortable grimace. Blake wanted to punch him in the face. She was too exhausted to deal with this.

‘’Enough dithering on my part! Please follow me to the main desks so we can set the check-in procedures in motion.’’

‘’That’s... great! But what are you here for mister?’’ Ruby’s eyes were hesitant, but not dismissive. Of course she was willing to give him a chance.

They began walking, and he threw a disdainful look at her. ‘’Thank you so much for asking, young lady. It is my honor to have been appointed as your personal attendant for the duration of your stay in Atlas. Your sister would have come to bid you welcome herself, miss Schnee, but she is currently accompanying General Ironwood in a diplomatic mission in Vacuo-’’

‘’Wait, wait wait.’’ Qrow interrupted loudly. ‘’You’re kidding me, right? Ironwood’s _not here?_ And _you_ have been put in charge to make sure we don’t cause trouble? _You_? Oh, that’s just fantastic.’’

The smile didn’t dip one millimeter, to Blake’s great annoyance. ‘’I assure you, mister Branwen. I am more than what meets the eyes. Furthermore, General Ironwood made sure to provide you with a permanent security escort handpicked by himself and composed of the finest soldiers Atlas has to offer, as well as the necessary logement-’’

‘’Yeah no. We won’t be needing that.’’

‘’I beg your pardon?’’

‘’I said we’re fine. I'm sure those high-grade military conserves can be used elsewhere. And we can find a place to stay in by ourselves. You’re dismissed, or whatever. Thanks for nothing, asshole.’’

 _Finally_ the smile dimmed. The soldiers around them looked affronted, and Jaune and Ruby both made an aborted motion, like they were wondering if they should intervene before it got ugly. Oscar was walking with his back straight and eyes wide open like a deer in headlight, Yang whispered a small _you tell ‘m uncle._ Then Maria smacked Qrow behind the head and said _can’t you be more polite about it you brat_ like the hypocrite she was. Blake definitely would have found that amusing if she wasn’t so distracted by the weird buzzing. They’ve arrived in front of huge gates, and her enhanced hearing picked up a weird sound that was becoming clearer and louder the more they walked.

The doors opened, and before their now fired personal attendant could muster an answer, they were drowned in sound.

_____________

The registration area was a mess.

Strangers were running left and right like sea of angry faces in the middle of a storm. Dust-powered screens blinked on every wall, airing updates on the current military lockdown. Some seemingly rich individuals were screaming at the desk attendants, trying to impose their will, some were crying and holding their children. Everyone there was trying to leave.

 _Of course,_ she thought, _Not everyone in Atlas is atlasian._

With all the war vessel flowing around, it made sense that the people who were only there for a visit would try to get away. The question was _why_ there was so many military airship needed. Is Atlas preparing themselves for war? How on earth did they miss _that_?

Since international communication went down, every city in the world was cut from external news. That didn’t just mean intercontinental trades were scrambling to keep themselves functioning. It meant the people of Remnant were prevented from being properly informed on global events. However, if the kingdoms were readying themselves for a confrontation, then _surely_ they would’ve heard about it. If this was disclosed to the public, then they would’ve at least caught whispers of it. Rumors, speculations, gossip, _something_.

Of course, they’ve been rather busy the last few days. But that was no excuse. There was no way the people of Argus wouldn’t have known if Atlas was going to war. Jaune’s sister would have told them. Right?

Blake felt Yang tense through the arm linking them, and felt herself responding in the same way. There was enough negativity in this room to attract every Grimm in a ten kilometer radius. Anyone who had the faintest training in aura would be at least nervous.

‘’What the hell is Ironwood _thinking_?’’ She heard Qrow mutter. His back was bent enough for Blake to wonder if they should start worrying about the structural integrity of his spine instead.

They started gathering attention the moment they stepped in the immense room. After all, they made a rather singular group. A bunch of bruised and battered teenagers carrying weapons, a man with a giant sword and an old lady escorted by nine soldiers. Soon, people stopped to openly gawk at them.  

 _Is that Weiss Schnee?_ She heard a woman ask.

 _What is she doing here? Is she trying to leave too?_ A man said.

_Who is she with? Are they famous?_

_What are you talking about, of course it can’t be Weiss Schnee. She left the city._

_Wait, isn’t that the girl who broke someone’s neck at the last Vytal festival?_

_No you idiot, it wasn’t a neck, it was an arm-_

_The guy who’s hunted right now, right? Mercure or something? I heard he’s actually a criminal-_

_Do you think Miss Schnee would take a picture with me-_

_Mommy, look at that lady! She has cat ears! Are they real-_

Blake flattened her ears on her heard. They huddled closer together and Weiss and Blake were put in the middle of the group, almost instinctively.

Yang scowled at everything and everyone, hugging her protectively with one arm.

Since they were technically the only people who _needed_ access to the main desk, they were prioritized. Having an escort of intimidating soldiers didn’t hurt. It did, however, create a small gathering around them.

At least, it had a wide range.

‘’Ah, I’m sorry.’’ Blake really had forgotten his existence. The small atlasian however would not let himself be dismissed and chose that moment to address them with a cheerful voice that grated at her nerve like fingers on a chalkboard. ‘’The faunus cannot continue with us.’’

He was met with the glare of seven armed teenagers.

Yang took a step forward. She didn’t let go of Blake.

‘’What the _hell_ is that supposed to mean.’’ Her eyes were blazing red. Blake couldn’t see it, but she heard it in her tone.

The man scrambled for an answer. Blake didn’t know if he was still smiling, because her own eyes were glued to the floor. ‘’Ah. I meant to say- Faunuses have a special statue in Atlas, related to the nature of their stay in the city- often analogous to work purposes. There is a separate desk on the left side of the room that will provide her with the necessary documents as well as a more suitable permit of occupancy-’’ His voice was raising to a higher register the more he spoke. Blake lifted her head and her eyes fell on Weiss, who looked like she was about to draw her weapon.

‘’She stays with us, or we go with her. That is not negotiable.’’

‘’Yes, miss Schnee.’’ His voice was high enough to reach the ceiling, but everything else about him was small in every sense of the word. Blake smirked at him.

‘’Now, I believe you have been dismissed earlier. That’s not open to discussion either. I will make sure to let General Ironwood know _exactly_ how helpful your service was. Thank you and have a good day. ’’ The ice in her tone could burn.

Blake could hear the whispers around them. People were listening. They were looking. It wasn’t everyday a Schnee became angry on behalf of a faunus.

The man opened his mouth to speak, then thought better of it and simply stayed silent. He had already been fired twice in one day; apparently he wasn’t looking for a third time. Good for him.

_____________

The agent in front of her hesitated. Blake caught the hint of exhaustion in the slump of her shoulder, the ghost of bags under her eyes.

This woman has probably been there, behind this desk, the whole day. She likely spent many hours trying to comfort hysterical families about the potential threat of a hypothetical war and had to deal with angry upper classes full of entitlement screaming at her. Perhaps was she overwhelmed, and resorted to sticking to standard procedure when dealing with an unfamiliar situation; like a faunus asking for entrance through the desk normally reserved for humans. Maybe that’s why she nervously redirected her to what she called the Faunus Services the first time Blake stood before her.

Like always, she had wanted to ask. _Don’t you see?_ This separation, human and faunus, us and they, citizen and others, normal and _different_ \- this was everything Blake dedicated her youth fighting against with her life on the line. _Don’t you see how wrong it is?_

 Blake couldn’t discern any malice in the eyes of the woman, only a lack of spirit.

And yet, a big part of her begged to differ. Today she fought and killed and experienced enough to fuel weeks of terror induced nightmares- of giant monsters raising from the seas and bloodstained hair, hands and blade.

And despite all of this, she actually went. She nodded, thanked the woman and started walking toward where the Faunuses bureaus had been vaguely pointed at. She stopped only once for directions she received on a tactile screen fixed on a wall, with Weiss’ and Maria’s help. The crowd opened wider everywhere they went, and whispers followed them like an afterthought. Ruby and Yang were also walking firmly by her side, the latter grumbled about the five soldiers trailing behind them, impossible to shake. The rest of their group opted to stay behind at the entrance of the city, with fours soldiers guarding them.

Hopefully they could get rid of their escort once Blake figured out how to get _somebody_ to check her in. The identification process itself wasn’t long per se. The only thing they needed to do was to show the boarding pass they had received for the airbus trip, now almost two hours ago; as well as their personal ID. Both documents were on their scroll.  Blake didn’t have hers, but that wasn’t even the problem. Nobody had asked for her scroll yet.

When they’ve arrived at the other end of the immense room, Blake once again found what she had expected of Atlas. One or two faunuses sitting around with weary faces. A closed desk. A little dust-powered screen displayed the hours. It only said _services suspended for an indefinite period of time_ in bold letters.

‘’What a surprise.’’ Even Maria was uncharacteristically sober. Blake took hold of Yang’s hand. It had been clenched in a fist so tight it was trembling, but it opened up even before their fingers touched. Then she turned around and walked towards where they came from. There wasn’t anything else she could do.

And now she found herself standing in front of the woman again.

'’The Faunus desks were closed, and I think you knew it. I just want to gain access to the city. I’m not a threat and I am not here for work. Give me the usual service, and let’s get this over with.’’ Maybe it was the emptiness in Blake’s tone and the quiet anger radiated out of her that did it, or maybe it was the stress of having both Weiss and Yang throw daggers at her with eyes both icy blue and burning red while Ruby looked upon her with devastating disappointment; but  _finally_  the woman compiled. 

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, welcome to my humble fic. Come screaming with me about soft bees on shushtaouk.tumblr.com.


End file.
